Baby or the Aravind Model 3 was the very first India-made vehicle, born due to the efforts of a pioneering visionary and self-taught auto mechanic, Kunnath Ayyath Balakrishna (K.A.B.) Menon. He got the prototype model built at Aravind Automobiles in Thiruvananthapuram. This went by the name of Prompt Motors earlier. The car took shape in February 1966 and Menon had a dream of making it an everyday car for citizens.
The Aravind Model 3 was a classic sedan car, inspired clearly by bigger sedans such as Cadillac and other American beauties. The rear and front overhangs were longer and so was the bonnet. The bodywork did not sport any creases or cuts, while detailing was top-notch, with plenty of chrome used as well. The front grille was uniquely designed with several cut-outs while the monogram ARAVIND was created with sand casting and pouring molten brass thereafter.
The car became immensely popular in Thiruvananthapuram and its surrounding areas, as has been confirmed by Menon's eldest grandchild, Rathish. The components came from the 1956 Fiat 1100 model including the rear differential, gearbox, and also the engine. The Fiat 1100 was then owned by P Leela, the reputed playback singer. Fiat used to deploy the engine in various states in that period and hence the Aravind 3 engine stats are not exactly known. Some other components were also sourced from this Fiat 1100 including the steering wheel that was wrapped in some other material for a more luxurious touch and also the gear shifted (mounted on the column), the instrument console (analogue) and the windshield (both front and rear). Metal sheet bodywork aside, it was beaten with bare hands at the workshop. Menon asked for the Government's support for the project at the time, since he wanted to price the car at a point lower than Rs. 5,000. He also applied for the industrial license, which went to Maruti Ltd instead.
K.A.B. Menon was only fourteen when he got attracted to cars. He was one of the few who could successfully repair American sedans in the country at the time. He also crashed his Studebaker Champion in 1954 right into a tree while driving to Trivandrum from Kottyam. He was hospitalized and the car was completely wrecked. After getting back from the hospital, he rebuilt this vehicle, sketching it and lining up blacksmiths for the repairs. He made use of a Mercedes Benz W120 180d diesel engine this time which made 46 hp. This car was then named Iddy Champion. The word Iddy means to punch in the Malayalam language.
This was when Aravind Automobiles first started, with the car being retailed to the well-known Tamil movie director, Akkamappettai Paramasivan Nagarajan. Menon passed away in the year 1971 and his Model 3 went to Karthikaynni Menon, his spouse. She gave Aravind Automobiles away to the workers who ran the show for three years before the company closed. Rumor has it that Aravind Automobiles is now working to restart its organisation as a manufacturer of EVs. Aravind Automobiles also made a Palace Special that was crafted especially for the Maharaj of Travancore at his own request.
